Choosing Xen
by Emoosey
Summary: Y-6 was sure he would never choosen again, so when 8-XN tells him "sure you will" he doesn't think much of it. Little did either of them know how right 8-XN's offhand reassurance was. [A human zoo story] [Human/Gem romance]
1. Hurt

**Y-6 / / / Hurt**

* * *

Y-6 had been thinking a lot about the choosening.

Since Gaa-reg had left them, the thought of being paired off with someone did not appeal to him quite as much. In fact, the entire idea of the choosening had lost its original charm. While growing up, Y-6 had awaited eagerly for the day he would be of age and permitted by The Little Voice to take part in the choosening. Like magic, like fate, The Little Voice just knew, just as The Little Voice always knew, who to choosen and who to put the choosened with. Then, just like that, two people were now a pair, happy as can be. There was joy to be found in the choosening to be sure. Young Y-6 had liked to sit in the perimeter of trees surrounding the choosening and watch the sudden smiles of the choosened when The Little Voice let them know their destinies. It looked like a glee similar to that of someone who had been told the punchline to a long-anticipated joke. However, Y-6 liked to think the choosening would make everyone experience their own versions of happiness. Y-6 thought his choosening would feel like the sensation of rolling down a hill of the softest grass, like smelling the sweetest of flowers, like finding out that your fruit is purple. The choosening was Y-6's dream, but while he was still a child Y-6 could only watch from the side-lines. The choosened had a little piece of pleasure yet unobtainable to Y-6 and he had wanted that desperately.

Y-6 remembered his mother telling him that after you were choosened The Little Voice spoke to you personally, just you and your fellow choosened. She had told Y-6 that it had been the best moment of her life. She told him she had felt special— no, blessed. The Little Voice had choosened them. It had singled them out and told them they could do something wonderful – _together_. The Little Voice had guided her and his father together and just like that everything made sense. Y-6 had pestered his mother for more information, but she had smiled at him serenely, with a twinkle to her eye, informing him that The Little Voice wouldn't want his special day spoiled for him.

Y-6 supposed he could live with that. But still, he wanted to be choosened badly.

So when Gaa-reg had arrived, he thought that his special day had come. Surely it had, because everything had made sense, just like his mother said it would. What Gaa-reg said _had_ made sense. He opened their eyes to a new innovative way of finding a companion. It was a rather exotic concept, to be the one who choosens for himself. And to think, that was how they all did it on Earth!

When Y-6 had chosen Gaa-reg he had felt independent. For the first time, he felt that his life had truly taken on a sense of development, like he was growing beyond anything he could have imagined for himself. It had all felt very special and adult, which was strange because he was already an adult. He had been an adult for a little while now.

However, that all changed after Gaa-reg didn't choosen him back. He choosened no one back.

How could he do that? How could he be so cruel? How could he make them _hurt_? Y-6 had never hurt before. He had never even been near not good. Not good, that is to say, bad – bad, like the opposite of good – bad which meant hurt. Oh Little Voice, he was hurting. He was hurting bad. Y-6 didn't think something so unbearable could exist. And it didn't stop. When Y-6 stubbed his toe or bumped heads with someone, the pain always eventually stopped. This persisted. It followed him like his shadow so that, when he finally lay down to rest on the night of the ruined choosening, he couldn't sleep. The hurt was still there.

The tears may have stopped flowing and the most painful feelings from the unexpected rejection may have ebbed, but the hurt had settled somewhere in the pit of his stomach, like a dead weight. Thoughts of earlier that day came to him, in a cyclical motion, back-and-forth through his head. He just wanted them gone. He needed to think about something that wasn't Gaa-reg, or the choosening, or the fact his chance to be special had been completely wrecked. But what? Today had been so much more painful and unlike any other day he had ever experienced, that Y-6 struggled to think of anything else. As horrible as today had been, it had been interesting, perversely so.

Eventually, Y-6 reasoned that if he couldn't stop thinking about today, then he just had to think about something from today that wasn't Gaa-reg.

After wriggling into his favourite mossy surface to sleep on, Y-6 squeezed his eyes shut and thought hard and purposefully. Unfortunately, it did not take long before Gaa-reg appeared again in the forefront of his mind.

"Arrrgh!" Y-6 cried and flipped onto his front to punch his moss-pillow in frustration. He buried his face into the clumpy plant, mumbling into it sadly, "It is impossible. I'll never stop thinking of Gaa-reg."

It had been a nice idea, to think of another interesting part of the day, but he had forgotten that everything interesting that day had somehow involved the source of his hurt.

 _If only that purple lady was still here_ , he thought ruefully.

Things hadn't seemed so bad when she was around. He remembered how her hand had cupped his shoulder, holding him steady as sobs wracked through his body. Her fingers had curled around his side so nicely, solid as stone but silky as grass. She spoke to him then. Her voice had been a gentle rumble, with a throaty twang, that had sounded so striking Y-6 couldn't help himself but to quiet his weeping just to listen. It was a colourful voice and the longer she went on talking, the more it had distracted him from his hurt. The tears that had filled his eyes soon dried and what had once been a blurred blob of lilac became a face. A sweet face – strong-jawed, but soft-eyed. And he simply couldn't fathom the colour of her skin! He had never seen such an extraordinary shade, not even in their daily fruits. He had seen purple before. He loved purple. It was his favourite. But never like this. This purple was different, like a swash of calm, subtle yet mesmerizing and all-enveloping. It was a purple like light mist, settling upon his senses. She had stayed with him for some time, while his fellow humans ran through their home, their distant cries made immaterial to him by the sphere of comfort this woman provided.

Vaguely, he remembered telling her, as he wailed, "I'll never choosen again!" because it was true. He wasn't— _wouldn't_. He didn't want to involve himself in a dream that had become so tarnished.

But, she had been soothing, and said in her grainy stream of a voice, "Sure you will." Well, it was nice of her to try. Even if Y-6 firmly believed he could not choosen again, at least she had faith for special days to come.

She had left him a little while after that. He didn't want her to leave and demonstrated this by clinging onto her arm. She had looked at him, with her round lavender-grey eyes, startled. For a split second, she had seemed hesitant, but as quickly as she came she left, through the strange opening-wall along with Stee-van and Gaa-reg.

Gaa-reg. He was thinking of him again. Y-6 sighed. At least he had forgotten about Gaa-reg while the purple lady was with him. It would be helpful if she could talk to him again now. _Yes_ , he thought as sleep finally took him, _I do wish she was here again to stop me thinking about Gaa-reg_.

But, the last thing Y-6 saw before falling into slumbers that night was not the image of Gaa-reg he had tried so desperately to avoid, but instead of the face of the strange purple woman who had been so kind.

* * *

 _A/N: So, if you haven't realised (and if not what are you doing here? This is major spoiler_ _territory!), this is a story based on the episode "The Zoo". Specifically, i'm basing all this of one little scene towards the end of the episode when one of the amethysts (s_ ince this amethyst doesn't have a designated name I will be calling her 8-XN) _awkwardly comforts the one of the humans from the zoo (Y-6). And since I thought it was cute, I wanted to try my hand at a very bizarre human/gem romance._


	2. Bright

**8-XN / / / Bright**

* * *

To say 8-XN's day had been tumultuous would be an understatement.

It had all begun with the unprecedented arrival of a new human, delivered by Blue Diamond herself. While it wasn't uncommon for Blue Diamond to visit the Human Zoo, it was entirely uncommon for her to have a human in tow for the occasion.

All the gems knew that Blue Diamond was, for lack of better words, an emotional wreck. It was a popular point of interest when she returned to the Zoo (or, at least, Skinny liked to gossip about it off-shift while pretending ever so hard that she didn't want to be just as 'cliquey' as the rest of them). 8-XN was sure even Holly Blue realised how off kilter her supreme diamond was, despite the embarrassing amount of ass kissing she took part in. Still, as unbalanced as the diamond was, she had kept 8-XN in service and that was something to be grateful for.

8-XN, as an amethyst, came from Earth, as did most of the gems serving at the human zoo. But, the trouble with Earth was the stigma that came with it. She found it hard to be proud of her birth place when every gem seemed intent on demeaning it. No gem liked Earth. It was an unwelcome reminder of failure, catastrophic regretful failure, betrayal, disgusting immoral fusion, rose quartz, _the_ Rose Quartz, a sword cutting clean through their diamond, all because of some puny little squidgy meats-bags—

Well, that's what they told her at least.

Sometimes 8-XN felt like the worthless trash they called her. ( _Oh, you're from Earth? Earth, really? Well, I guess that explains why you're posted here._ ) To them she was just a dirty amethyst. ( _Miscreant, stunted, infected, useless, retarded, worthless, filthy,_ and 8-XN would turn her eyes up to the ceiling, trying not to cry, wanting to at least hiss, _say it, don't spray it!_ ) Sometimes, when she was standing bored in her cubby, she would think, idly, counting off the ways she could smash her own gem. Only if she wanted to though, which she _didn't_. But it never hurt to think. Thinking, as often as Holly Blue told them it was something they didn't do, was a common past-time for 8-XN and it had not gotten her into trouble yet.

If Holly Blue had her way they would have been decommissioned long ago – no self-decommissioning necessary – but, then again, if that were so Holly Blue would have no one to boss around anymore. 8-XN imagined the look on Holly Blue's face if she were to discover all her underlings gone. _Ha!_ A lonely miserable old rock, sitting by herself with only humans in the containment area below for company. It would serve her right.

But, 8-XN supposed, and ginned widely at the memory, Holly Blue had been taught a lesson already. Those rebel gems really did a number on Holly Blue's ego. They had arrived, soon after Blue Diamond left the compound, with a risky break-out plan to save their human friend. It took some serious nerve to storm a gem mandated facility, despite the lack of attention it received by the Diamond authority. It was still perilous and for that those gems had gained 8-XN's respect – and she knew for a fact the other amethysts and japers serving at the Human Zoo felt the same. 8-XN hadn't seen them leave. She hadn't had the chance to watch as they taunted Holly Blue, before flying off into the ether. _Tit for tat._ From what her fellow betas told her that pearl had given Holly Blue a true reprisal of her condescension.

 _That will be all, indeed, Holly Blue._ 8-XN sighed. It was nice to think so, but she knew, ultimately, that this would not be all. There was a solar storm brewing. Even here, in this remote facility, she could feel the quick heat of change flaring up. Each report from the Gem Authority was more censored than the last, with brigades of rubies occasionally making a pit stop at the zoo, looking far too grim, with their taught lips and furrowed brows, nothing like the usual dopy nature they were known for, and Blue Diamond's visits had become more frequent in recent times, her tears thicker, her sobs harsher.

( _And this is why Skinny should have never been allowed to manage the security feed –_ she showed them all their adoptive Diamond knelt shivering and damp-cheeked in the rose-quartz room) But somehow, 8-XN found that this image gave shape to Blue Diamond. Her cold, looming presence suddenly became sad and graceful, with feelings close enough to touch. She felt she could have reached through the screen of the monitor and laid a hand down upon the crown of the diamond's powdery blue head. But with Skinny hovering behind her, smirking down at the image, and a few amethysts tittering to her side, she dared not even lift a finger.

Blue Diamond's mounting sadness was a knell, a cautionary dirge, but no one really seemed to get it. 8-XN wondered if it would all be too late when her fellow Earth gems realised. They would realise when everything crumbled around them. But until that moment, even if life was soon going to be thrown into turmoil, 8-XN wanted to enjoy Holly Blue's failure while she still could. They had not seen the agate gem surface from her quarters for a good few days now and they were all enjoying the luxury of having no angry orders forced down their throats.

8-XN almost wished she had been there to see it in person, however her orders from Holly Blue had her running around the containment area after hysterical humans.

Humans were strange creatures. From today's event, clearly, they could be just as neurotic as Holly Blue. But, in other moments, every other moment, they were bright. So incredibly bright. Some would say gems were the brightest beings in the universe – beautiful and dazzling and full of light – yet, over the many years 8-XN had been posted at the Human Zoo, watching from on high, she thought humans were likely the brightest. Those meat-bags, those carbon-based life forms, those puny anthropoids, smiled with bright white and laughed with twinkling earthy browns, or periwinkle blues, or verdant greens that were just as luminous as any gem.

They were like gems, but not.

And oh, how so apparent this became when 8-XN held one in her arms.

That little sepia-skinned human had quivered and shook, curled into the grass, hit by the cool tones of manufactured moonlight, and like this he looked positively the most alien 8-XN had ever seen a human. He lived up to the name of alien now, because of how uncomfortably familiar he had become. Never before had 8-XN seen a human _hurt_.

 _Like gems, but not._

Had it been foolish of her to think these beings could only experience happiness? Was it cruel of her to feel relieved that their feelings spread further than pleasure? And was it worse that it pained her to know they shared this awful familiarity?

He cried like his very existence had been stripped bare. She knew that feeling.

So 8-XN drew near to the human. It was her job after all. She was meant to subdue him, well, _them_. But Holly Blue probably wouldn't have ever envisioned 8-XN's approach to the matter.

8-XN planted herself down beside him, legs tucked up neatly below her rear, knees near to bopping lightly against his. He barely seemed to notice her presence as she sat, so overwhelmed by his grief was he. This irked 8-XN a little, but mostly it made her even more painfully aware of the hurt they both were capable of feeling. It drew her closer with each passing shudder.

A few more sobs, tear constricted gasps that were sure to leave his throat raw by his designated waking hours, and he startled 8-XN with an outcry. "I'll never choosen again!"

Perhaps, then, he was more aware of 8-XN's presence than she had given him credit for.

Despite how his words shook her, 8-XN was surprised by how quick and easy she replied, "Sure you will." The words formed on her lips like she was slipping on an old pair of gloves. She didn't know and didn't really care to know what a 'choosen' was, but if not having it made this human hurt then encouraging him to choosen again became an unquestionable task.

Then, the hand that had been hovering over the human's back for the last minute, the hand 8-XN hadn't even realised she held so, found its purchase upon his shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him without a second thought and, oh great stars, it was like an awakening.

Humans were soft. Or, at least _this_ human was soft. Flesh, she discovered, was feathers and silk and petals all in one. His was tan like copper, but felt nothing like such a metal. And he was warm too. He radiated with it. She hadn't realised what a cold life it was to only feel rock and metal and the vacuum of space. This human was an anchor of balmy heat. The heat and softness combined made 8-XN want to curl in and never let go.

She did too. Just a little.

However, her time to leave came soon, as her fellow betas finished rounding up the other hysterical humans. Regretfully, she stood, cutting off from her flowing monologue of comfort, the soft, fine-tipped words she had been letting flow forth for the past half-hour now wedged in her throat like shards of glass. "Well," she managed to choke out, "It's time for me to go."

But as 8-XN tried to pull away, the human was suddenly clinging onto her arm, looking up at her with his wide olive eyes.

 _Good Diamonds, save me,_ she thought, suddenly unable to leave, trapped in his bright, bright gaze. Deep down she didn't really want much saving. At first, staying to wrap her arms around this soft human had been a treat, now having him wrap his arms around her was heaven. Nevertheless, she knew she had to leave or face the wrath of Holly Blue, so with great reluctance she shook away his hands and made her way out of the containment area.

As it turned out, she needn't have worried about Holly Blue's wrath. The entire facility was abuzz with gossip about how the rebel gems had got one over on their local dictator in blue. 8-XN laughed for a solid minute when she heard how a shamefaced Holly had run back to her quarters (many gems heckling her for running in the hallways like she had to them), looking like a silly newly grown garden gem. 8-XN really would have liked to see the rebel gems talk down Holly Blue, but she couldn't help but feel that hanging out with the human had made it worth missing out on.

* * *

 _A/N: Woooow there's been a large break between the publishing and this update. Well, there will eventually be more to come... Good to know you've liked it so far though!_


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